A term coined by Boris, continues. The blogroll is filling but if you notice your blog missing, please put a note in comments with a url. Catching up can be a bit of a task.
The new header is an Edstock production. Comments are welcome. (And yes, that is what a galloping beaver looks like.) And, I might add, that is one noble critter.
A tail dragging romp through the swamps of the world
Saturday, September 18, 2010
This week in shadenfruede, hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance
First, conservative propagandist Kory Teneycke
The week got even better when PKP's Sun chain of "newspapers for people who can't read" found out there's no one "Better than Ezra" at getting them waist-deep in the big muddy of legal quicksand. I should probably start a betting pool on how long it takes for Ezra to complain that this is censorship and just another example of antiSemitism on the part of the radical left.
My personal favorite though, was lifelong professional politician John Baird, a graduate of Queens University (Canada's Yale) who has never had a job outside of politics either at Queens Park or Parliament Hill, blaming the failure of the Conservative government to get rid of the gun registry on "Toronto elites".
Uh, yeah, right, you just keep digging John. You really have to admire the balls of a secular, gay, vegetarian graduate of an elite university who grew up in the Ottawa suburbs and who has never had a real job, trying to make a what he thinks is a populist appeal to the perceived base of his party - angry, rural, religious, uneducated, blue collar, Toronto-hating Preston Manning fans from Alberta. Not that there is anything wrong with being any of those things, but Baird sort of reminds me of Alan Keyes and Ted Haggart.
Not to be outbrassed, Stephen Harper's office this week rapped the knuckles of the Parti Quebecois for criticizing the Montreal Canadiens over their lack of French-Canadian players and claiming the team was a tool of federalism.
"No political party should play wedge politics with the Montreal Canadiens," Dimitri Soudas, Mr. Harper's director of communications, said in an email.
It is only natural that Dimiti Soudas and Stephen Harper would object to anyone else playing wedge politics. After all, no one likes to see their monopoly threatened. Also, I'm curious as to why only the National
Rules of Engagement
So, how's that "Lock and Load" mentality working out for you?
Done in pictures so the editor doesn't have to explain.
Done in pictures so the editor doesn't have to explain.
Hurricane Igor and Tropical Storm Julia 18/1400Z
Hurricane Igor has weakened over the past 24 hours and is now placed at the top end of the Category 2 scale. Igor has estimated maximum sustained winds of 95 knots (175 kmh/110 mph) with higher gusts.
At 0900Z (UTC/GMT) the cyclone was located about 475 miles (765 km) South of Bermuda tracking Northwest at 11 knots (20 kmh/13 mph).
Igor will probably restrengthen to Category 3 over the next 24 hours and then gradually weaken, Igor is a massive cyclone and Bermuda lies directly in the forecast path. The official CPA of Igor's centre to Bermuda is 10 miles. Within the bounds of storm forecasting, that is a direct hit.
Hurricane Warnings are up for Bermuda. Bermudians can expect a long assault by Igor. Hurricane force winds extend out to 90 nautical miles (105 miles/165 km) in some quadrants. Tropical Storm force conditions can be expected by this evening Bermuda time and Hurricane force winds no later than Sunday evening but likely in the afternoon. It will then be a long haul for Bermuda as Igor passes and Bermudians should be prepared for 24 hours of Tropical Storm conditions, 8 hours (or more) of which will be Hurricane conditions.
Tropical Storm Julia weakened as expected and is now carrying sustained winds of 50 knots (93 kmh/58 mph). The cyclone is located 1525 miles (2450 km) West-Southwest of the Azores. It is tracking Northwest at 16 knots (30 kmh/18 mph). Julia is expected to weaken fairly rapidly due to high shear and much cooler sea surface temperatures in its path. This cyclone continues to constitute a risk to shipping although it poses no threat to populated areas.
A tropical wave located off the Cape Verde Islands has shown some significant development and is being closely watched. Invest 94L.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Blogroll reminder UPDATE
Look over there... to your right. We've started to rebuild it ... slowly. If you're not on it, it's because I don't have your URL.
We pride ourselves in having a place where you can move off on the next wave. If you write things we and our readers would truly be interested in, then tell us in COMMENTS to this post. It could be years before we update again. Do it now!
Don't be shy. Your Mother wasn't.
I will ask for your patience. A small finger problem just destroyed several hours work and the blogroll which was building by the minute, vanished. I promise to restart sometime this weekend.
We pride ourselves in having a place where you can move off on the next wave. If you write things we and our readers would truly be interested in, then tell us in COMMENTS to this post. It could be years before we update again. Do it now!
Don't be shy. Your Mother wasn't.
I will ask for your patience. A small finger problem just destroyed several hours work and the blogroll which was building by the minute, vanished. I promise to restart sometime this weekend.
The Medieval Minds of the Harper Conservatives
The late Roman and early Medieval world in Europe would have seemed like a ludicrous place to anyone from this century. Life was a mixture of drudgery, religion and mysticism. Professor Robert Bartlett provides an insight in both his book and BBC series into (what we would today call) the strange beliefs that occupied even the most educated of Medieval Europeans.
The mysticism that ran through the religious lives of that age translated into the existence of strange creatures: some with a single foot, some with a face in the middle of their chest, some with two heads and, very importantly, some with human bodies and the heads of dogs.
The dog heads were so important that they were chronicled in the encyclopedias and monastic correspondence of the day. Known to live at the edge of the known world, missionaries were seeking guidance as to the religious conversion of the dog heads from arch-bishops - and the arch-bishops were providing reasoned advice.
Rimbert’s report stated that they covered their genitalia. Ratramnus interpreted this as a sign of decency and these and others attributes convinced him they were human; in any case, St Christopher had once been one and converted. Hence, Ratramnus concluded that the dog-heads were degenerated descendants of Adam, although the Church generally classed them with beasts. They may even receive baptism by being rained upon. Here Ratramnus was following in the footsteps of Augustine of Hippo, who had written that if the monstrous races do exist, they were created according to God’s will and, if they are human and descended from Adam, they must be capable of salvation. This would extend the Churches missionary obligation to the farthest flung parts of the earth and make ‘monstrous missionising’ a necessary fulfilment of Christ’s charge.The only real problem is that no one had ever really seen a dog head. They lived outside the world of humans. But live they did, at least that was the belief of the day. When far-flung expeditions were mounted to find these strange beings, the results were, by today's standards, predictable.
He tried to ask the locals about the existence of the dog-heads and other tribes but unfortunately the only response he appears to have got is ‘we thought they lived where you came from’.We know now that the dog heads did not exist. In Medieval times however, they were an important feature in the lives of people steeped in religion. For one thing, (probably most important), they provided a function by which the church could instill fear in the population and show progress in providing protection. By overtly studying how to convert the dog heads the religious Medieval human saw the church working diligently to reduce the threat to humans.
Sound familiar?
Kirbycairo has noticed the same thing. The Harper conservatives use non-existent crime to generate a level of fear in those who spend no time really researching the subject. Then, anything they do to reduce that crime, even though it doesn't exist, looks like decisive action to eliminate a threat.
The problem is, just like the monks and bishops who ruminated and wrote on the means to convert the dog heads, the Harper conservatives really believe there is something real to address.
They would have fit quite nicely into the mystic early Medieval society. They just don't handle reality well at all.
Reminder....
As we rebuild the blogroll, (using a clean non-java, non-intusive linking system) we issue this reminder.
So, can we toss any illusion of a Private Member's Bill ...
Onto the building pack of Harper lies where it now belongs? This activity is the stuff of "agenda". Either that or Harper and his hillbillies don't have one and just wait for the next windmill to appear on their horizon.
Hurricanes Igor and Julia 17/1400Z. Hurricane Watch for Bermuda
Hurricane Igor weakened slightly to become a "top of the scale" Category 3 cyclone. Depending upon what impresses you about natural meteorological/oceanographic phenomena, the size of Igor is amazing at about 1000 miles (1600 km) across its entire wind field.
Igor is about 730 miles (1175 km) South-Southeast of Bermuda tracking Northwest at about 8 knots (15 kmh/9 mph). It has maximum sustained winds of about 105 knots (195 kmh/121 mph). The present motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours and then the cyclone should recurve to the North-Northwest. The forecast track from most models agree and Bermuda is likely to get anywhere from Tropical Storm force effects to those of a direct hit in about 2 to 3 days time. Igor's forecast track keeps it in warm water and a light shear environment so any significant weakening will not likely occur for a few days yet. There is a bit of dry air to the west of it, but the cyclone's size and strength will ward off that effect.
As Igor passed ocean buoy 41044 wave heights of 35.8 feet (11 meters) were recorded.
Bermuda is on Hurricane Watch with the centre of Igor approaching on Sunday morning. Correspondent in Bermuda states that the local marketplace was jammed with people stocking up supplies and that people were charging up electronic devices in preparation for power outages.
Hurricane Julia is behaving pretty much as forecast. It is slowly weakening due to the influence of wind shear. There will be greater influence on Julia from the outflow pattern of Igor which will cause further deterioration. Julia continues to present a risk to shipping with 75 knot (140 kmh/86 mph) winds. Position is about 1450 miles (2330 km) Southwest of the Azores tracking West-Northwest at about 21 knots (39 kmh/24 mph) although a traditional recurve is evident in its track. Julia is being steered by an upper level ridge. It should start tracking to the northeast as it passed around the western edge.
Julia poses no threat to population at this time.Click any image to enlarge.
Hurricane Karl 17/1300Z. Hurricane Warning for Mexico
Hurricane Karl strengthened remarkably through Thursday to become a Category 3 cyclone. It's position at 1200Z (7 am CDT) was 50 miles (80 km) Northeast of Veracruz, 150 miles Southeast of Tuxpan on the east coast of Mexico. The hurricane is tracking due West at 8 knots (15 kmh/9 mph) which would put landfall for the centre of the system about 5 hours away.
The east coast of Mexico is already getting the Tropical Storm force winds and moisture from Karl. The estimated maximum sustained winds are 105 knots (195 kmh/121 mph).
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the east coast of Mexico from Veracruz to Cabo Rjo. Tropical Storm Warnings and Hurricane Watch is in effect for the east coast of Mexico from north of Cabo Rojo to La Cruz and a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the east coast of Mexico from south of Veracruz to Punta El Largardo.
Aside from extreme winds, Karl will release large quantities of moisture in the form of torrential rains. Hurricane force winds are estimated to extend outward 25 miles (40 km) from the centre. Tropical Storm force winds have a radius of about 105 miles (170 km).
A destructive storm surge of up to 4.6 meters (15 feet) should be expected along the coast accompanied by violent waves.
Click images to enlarge.
The Cons : long on guns, short on memory
Con MP Candice Hoeppner, gun lobbyist Tony Bernardo, and Con MP Garry Breitkreuz at the CSSA Blast in Calgary on April 2-3, 2010
.
Bernardo, a frequent guest on NRA chat shows updating U.S. gun owners on the fight to kill the Canadian registry, said the NRA was instrumental in helping him set up his Canadian lobby group, CILA, the lobbying arm of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA), and a mirror group of the Institute for Legislative Action, the NRA's lobbying arm.
Bernardo : "We have been working hand in hand with the NRA regarding international issues for the past three and a half years."
"The NRA’s Canadian Situation Infommercial ... was entirely set up by CILA. Its production cost was over $100,000 and was entirely paid for by the NRA."
CSSA media release, June 8, 2010 :
Team CSSA welcomes former Breitkreuz staffer as new Communications Director :
"While Brant was working with [Con MP] Garry Breitkreuz, he acted as liaison with the CSSA on a variety of gun-related issues, including the long-gun registry. The CSSA worked with the MP's office on Bill C-301 and later Bill C-391," explains Bernardo."
Manitoba Con MP Candice Hoeppner, sponsor of Bill C-391 to kill the long gun registry, Sept 14, 2010 :
"I’ve never spoken, e-mailed, had any contact. I don’t know anyone at the NRA."Okey dokey then.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Yes, our blogroll has disappeared
But it has not vanished. It will be rebuilt in the next few days. In the meantime, I would ask that if were on our blogroll, you confirm your blog in the comments section. Dead blogs will be removed before the snow flies.
If you weren't on the blogroll but were a regular reader, linker, happy participant or otherwise just have a blog you think we should be reading, then, again, announce it in comments and give us a url. If we like it, you'll get the link.
Skippy! I expect you'll be right in there leading Blogtopia to our door.
One more point. We are dumping rpc.blogrolling as a blogroll manager.
If you weren't on the blogroll but were a regular reader, linker, happy participant or otherwise just have a blog you think we should be reading, then, again, announce it in comments and give us a url. If we like it, you'll get the link.
Skippy! I expect you'll be right in there leading Blogtopia to our door.
One more point. We are dumping rpc.blogrolling as a blogroll manager.
KornKob Kory runs to the MotherCorp for cover UPDATE! May be a hoax. UPDATE 2! Original article vanishes.
A noodly appendage dropped this on my plate.
CBC News will feature Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former director of communications as a political commentator across all of its platforms.Why? He's exposed his hand. His original objective was to build a cable network that would slime the CBC. He failed, personally, but the initiative is still alive.According to a CBC news release, Kory Teneycke will appear on The National, Power & Politics, and The House, as well as on CBCNews.ca’s political portal.
Is the CBC trying to wave a flag in front of Harper? Hi there. We can contribute to your wingnut welfare program.
“Kory’s intimate, first-hand knowledge of government and public policy will bring a fresh perspective to the roster of opinion at CBC News,” Jennifer McGuire, CBC News general manager and editor-in-chief, said in the news release. “We look forward to Kory’s views enriching our coverage of the many issues that matter to all Canadians.”He might even be able to provide live coverage when his computer gets seized.
Just musing here to myself about nothing in particular, but Jennifer, do you keep him on if he gets charged with an indictable offence? Just wondering about the retention policy of Mother Corp.
Hat tip West End Bob
Graphic stolen from our own Alison
BIG UPDATE! Via Holly Stick in comments, Kady on Twitter is suggesting that this might all be a hoax and that CBC has NOT hired Teneycke. (I'm guessing they are still trying to hose down from the last time he occupied a chair there.)
EVEN BIGGER UPDATE! The article to which the original post was linked is now... dead.
Airshow Mackay pulls out his "morale" card
As predicted by Pogge the Harper conservatives have trotted out their propaganda by turning the F-35 purchase into a "Support The Troops" mantra. If you question the awarding of the largest Canadian military purchase ever in a no-bid arrangement, you don't support the troops.
"It has an impact on morale," MacKay asserted, saying such uncertainty affects the career planning of Armed Forces members and their families.What an utter crock of horseshit. Career planning?! What is this moron trying to feed us.
But since he's at it, let's look at the Harper government record. As dumb an idea as it was, under the Harper plan there were supposed to be rapid deployment battalions stationed in Comox, Trenton and Greenwood. That would affect at least 3000 soldiers and their support elements. With that announced plan, a lot of serving personnel would have been marking a lot of "new" possible posting preferences on their annual Personnel Evaluation Reports. Effect on "career planning"? Big. Those are now wasted choices and prospective postings that vanished.
Equipment purchases have an effect on "career planning"? How about the cancellation of the Joint Support Ship? No big deal? Wrong!!!
If you are a marine engineer of any form you are faced with being one of the dwindling cadre of steam propulsion types trying to keep archaic high and low pressure boiler-fired engineering alive. While all the other "stokers" in the fleet move on to more advanced systems, the navy is still required to maintain training for engineering personnel on steam propulsion systems. Career planning, Mackay? Who cancelled the JSS, and why didn't we hear from you about the impact on career planning for those engineers who have to maintain 2A and 3A engineering certificates?
Hurricanes Igor and Julia. Tropical Storm Karl. 16/1300Z
Hurricane Alley has a story this morning and it's Tropical Storm Karl. The cyclone emerged from the Yucatan virtually intact and about 30 miles (50 km) south of the original forecast. Karl moved over the Bay of Campeche to be met by less than 5 knots of wind shear and sea surface temperatures that in some spots are higher than 30 degrees C. All conditions are very favourable for rapid intensification and there is little doubt that Karl will grow very rapidly to become a hurricane over the next 12 - 36 hours.Karl is currently located in the southeastern section of the Bay of Campeche tracking West-Northwest at about 8 knots (15 kmh/9 mph) with sustained winds showing an initial intensity of 55 knots (102 kmh/63 mph).
Hurricane Watches have been issued for the east coast of Mexico from La Cruz southward to Palma Sola. Karl is forecast to be near the Mexican coast as a hurricane late Thursday or early Friday. Hurricane Warnings will likely be issued for that same coast later today.
Hurricane Igor intensified over night with sustained winds of 125 knots (232 kmh/144 mph). It remains a Category 4 cyclone presently located about 440 miles (710 km) East-Northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and 955 miles (1535 km) South-Southeast of Bermuda. The hurricane is tracking West-Northwest at about 6 knots (11 kmh/7 mph).
Igor is in an area of low wind shear and high sea surface temperatures which support the cyclone remaining a very dangerous hurricane for the next few days. Igor is expected to recurve as it moves around the subtropical ridge. The threat to Bermuda is increasing.
Hurricane Julia is weakening as it feels the effect of divergence from Igor. Upper level wind shear is increasing and Julia is entering an area of cooler water. It should start to gradually weaken in the next 24 hours and thereafter experience a more rapid decay.Julia is located about 875 miles (1410 km) West-Northwest of the Cape Verde Islands and assumed to be tracking northwest at about 16 knots (30 kmh/18 mph). Maximum sustained winds are estimated at 90 knots (167 kmh/104 mph) with decreasing intensity as it moves along its track.
Julia is a threat to shipping but currently poses no danger to populated land areas.The satellite image below shows all three Atlantic cyclones: Karl to the left, Igor in the centre right and Julia off to the extreme right. (As always, click on any image to enlarge).
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Pope is going to Carnaby Street!
Why would he go there? Well, to recruit unhappy Anglicans it seems.
The pope also has a delicate path to tread during his four-day-trip to England and Scotland in relations with the Church of England after his offer last October making it easier for disaffected Anglicans, unhappy over women ordination and gay bishops, to convert.The leader of the world's best known group of pedophiles has other problems: Cardinals who think Brits are barbarians.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, who retired last summer as the head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, caused a stir this week when he told the German magazine Focus that landing at Heathrow Airport was like landing “in a third world country.” He also criticized the “aggressive atheism” of Britain.Funny how any time a mission from Rome, as far back as the Emperor Claudius, arrives and finds the British just seem to have their own religious thing. Some don't have any at all.
Maybe the Brits are barbarians. Gawds know, I spent enough time trying to eat the compost they call composite rations. In any case, at least some of them behaved in an "appalling" manner in the lead up to Benny's visit and to be honest, I can only applaud. Back in April a Foreign Office memo appeared with many brilliant suggestions.
The paper was attached as one of three "background documents" to a memo dated 5 March 2010 inviting officials in Whitehall and Downing Street to attend a meeting to discuss themes for the papal visit.Themes! Acers stuff.
It suggested Benedict XVI could show his hard line on the sensitive issue of child abuse allegations against Roman Catholic priests by "sacking dodgy bishops" and launching a helpline for abused children.All good ideas. Although I have to admit that I was not aware that the Vatican had not yet apologized for the Spanish Armada. Given that the Pope is supposedly just a continuing line of one person then it would be proper to arrest him and toss him into The Tower... wouldn't it?The document went on to propose the Pope could apologise for the Spanish Armada or sing a song with the Queen for charity.
It listed "positive" public figures who could be made part of the Pope's visit, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair and 2009 Britain's Got Talent runner-up Susan Boyle, and those considered "negative", such as Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and prominent atheist Richard Dawkins.
Back then even the bishops were speaking.
Bishop McMahon said he hoped it was meant to be "light hearted".But they gain no more momentum than memos from Vatican cardinals (who go on to become Pope) attempting to cover up the criminal behaviour of Catholic priests.But he added: "That in itself can be dangerous if these memos move around the departments, they tend to gain momentum."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)